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Bringing you car related advice

For those who do not know what the poly-v belt is, is a small but essential part of the car. This is a V-belt which has longitudinal edges. Its main purpose is to increase the force of friction. It is mainly used to start the generator. It is also used for the water pump, and also many other functions. The material used to make a poly-v belt is rubber. Within the belt, you will find a steel rod, which is used to increase efficiency. It is essential that you make sure that your Hutchinson Poly-v Belt is always in good condition or various functions of the car will not operate well.

One of the most common faults of the poly-v belt is the brake. When you take your vehicle to be checked due to a poly-v problem, it will be carried out depending on the area of breakage. If the belt does not completely work, it is easy to determine the reason for failure. As the vehicle owner, it is very important that you replace the belt once it is damaged. In some cases, a non-working poly-v belt usually is an indication of the engine overheating.

When you are purchasing a new Hutchinson poly-v belt it is important to you consider all your options and make sure that you get the right one for your vehicle. The main belt usually starts the generator. The replacement can be done by the owner, but it may be difficult to find the belt. There is a long process involved, so you may need help from your mechanic. At various car shops, you will be able to find spare Hutchinson poly-v belts, you need to make sure that you get the right one. Also, ensure that it is of high quality so that you do not have a problem once it has been replaced.

The oil temperature sensor is an essential part of the vehicle. It is mainly used to check and measure the temperature of the oil that is in the engine. When there is a change in the oil temperature, a message is sent to the indicator informing the car owner of the change. You may find that in most vehicles oil temperature is usually not displayed since it might not be important to the owner of the vehicle. But, when it comes to high-end vehicles and also sports cars, you will find that they are equipped with an oil temperature sensor.

If you require an oil temperature sensor in your vehicle, you need to make sure that you get the right kind of sensor, a BWD oil temperature sensor. Today you find that various car tuning fans come with oil temperature. When you go to buy spare parts for your vehicle you need to make sure that the oil indicator and sensor are compatible with each other so as to ensure effectiveness. The sensor can be installed into the engine block, which usually requires a special adapter. The process of installing the oil temperature sensor is quite easy and you can easily do it by yourself.

The price of the BWD oil sensor is quite cheap and affordable. As a car owner, you may require special instructions to install the part. You can easily find ideal sensors over the internet or spare parts shops. To many an oil temperature sensor may not be important to them, but in other cases they are quite important. Depending on the vehicle you are using, you may require a good BWD oil temperature sensor. It is important that you get the right one which is compatible with your vehicle so that it works well. You do not want to have your engine heating u due to negligence.

With several parts making up a vehicle, the clutch pressure plate is an important part. You find that the clutch pressure plate, together with the clutch pressure joints work together in the engine. The clutch pressure plate plays an important role in ensuring that there are normal transmissions during the process of clutch engagement, and you will find the best at AutoZone. The process involved in clutching and declutching is an important one, so you need to make sure that you have a reliable clutch AutoZone pressure plate, and maintain them so as to avoid any damages.

As a good driver, you will probably notice that your clutch plate does not work well or has a problem. You will mostly here a clutch slip noise while driving. This will mean that maximum transmission is not being achieved at all. Having a damaged clutch pressure plate means your exposing your vehicle to quick wear and tear. The first signal or sign or problem with your clutch plate is clutch performance. If you find that is hard to change gears in the gears box, then it is important that you try and identify the problem as the owner of the vehicle.

As a car owner, you are always advised to get professional help when it comes to handling your vehicle, especially when replacing parts. The car is very complex, and if one part is not working well, then the entire vehicle may fail. When you realize it is time to change and replace your clutch pressure plate, you need to get a mechanic to disassemble your car. By finding the right car service center, you will be able to get high-quality parts and have them installed on your vehicle. It is always important that you get high-end parts for your vehicle so as to ensure maximum functioning of the entire car. An AutoZone clutch pressure plate will ensure your clutch is in good conditioning, so you need to go to the best for the best.

When it comes to building cars that you can fall out of, European automotive industry has quite a bit of experience. It started with the Mini Moke, which was just a glorified golf cart, continued with several French efforts and now the movement is topped with a brand new model – the Rinspeed BamBoo by the famous Swiss designer Frank Rinderknecht. It recently made a debut but has already managed to stir quite a bit of controversy. The thing is that the BamBoo is made of, guess what, bamboo!

Nomen est omen – the name says it all. The body of this electric car is made of high-tech bamboo fibres. But Rinderknecht wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t equip his new creation with a bot or a pod or something else that sets it apart from other vehicles. A golf ball dispenser? No, it’s an onboard foldable three-wheeler ready to go an extra mile. Quite literally. If your car runs out of juice – after all it is an electric car, hop on the three-wheeler and do the missing mile.

Fiat 600 Ghia Jolly

So what does the history say about it? Very few people remember the first open vacation car Fiat 600 Ghia Jolly. It made a debut in 1958 but because they were produced in strictly limited numbers, the car failed to make an impact.

Mini Moke

The whole “fall out of me” car movement started with the Mini Moke in 1968. The idea was to create a light military vehicle similar to the American Jeep. It didn’t quite work out because it was considered not suitable for battle action. The project was about to be scrapped but the Moke was given a chance to be “civilized”. It was the beachcombers who catapulted the funny little car to a cult success and created a precedent.

Citroen Mehari

Soon the French discovered the joys of an open-body vehicle and came up with the Citroen Mehari. Almost 150,000 cars were built between 1968 and 1988. Thanks to its low weight (1300lbs) it was a very efficient and capable vehicle. Some of the cars were even equipped with doors and a soft top.

Renault Rodeo

The Rodeo was Renault’s answer to the Citroen’s challenge in 1970. It was based on the Renault 4. They kept churning out the Rodeos till 1987. The cars became popular with the Police, especially the four wheel drive variation.

Although hundreds of thousands of different beach vehicles have been made during the last 50 years, they haven’t established themselves… at least not as something that car manufacturers would consider a profitable niche. Mainly due to the fact that there are a limited number of beaches worldwide that permit vehicles in the recreational zone. Will the Rinspeed BamBoo manage to make an impact?

Driving is one of the most relaxing and practical ways to enjoy Ireland and, for visitors arriving from the UK in particular, it need not be the hair-raising experience that driving abroad often seems to be. As in the UK driving is on the left, roundabouts are common and narrow roads in fog or rain (not to mention the occasional wild sheep wandering in front of your car) should pose no particular problem to the seasoned British driver. With stunning landscapes, charming towns and a coastline to rival any other, Ireland is best enjoyed at your own pace and the flexibility afforded by self-drive is a freedom well-worth taking advantage of.

If you’re preparing to embark upon a self-drive tour of Ireland, then plan these unmissable routes into your itinerary to witness Ireland’s magical landscape in all its beauty.

Dublin to Portlaioise (Wicklow Mountains)

Barely outside Ireland’s culture-rich capital Dublin, the Wicklow Mountains dominate the rugged countryside offering breath taking views of pine-covered slopes. Here you can marvel at the country’s highest waterfall, Powerscourt, or soak up the stunning scenery of Glendalough, the Valley of the Two Lakes where Ireland’s finest monastic settlement can be explored.

If you’re arriving by plane, with a variety of car rental companies available at Dublin Airport including National Car Hire, Hertz, Budget and Avis, you can be confident of securing a vehicle for your journey around Ireland.

The Sheeps Head Peninsula

A favourite among hikers, the Sheeps Head Peninsula offers visitors a stunning drive around an 88km trail from Bantry to the headland and back. From here you can enjoy the spectacular coastline and the virtually unspoiled countryside where daffodils grace the scene as early as January due to the temperate climate brought by the Gulf Stream. With a variety of walks for all abilities, a self-drive tour can be combined with some invigorating hiking to explore one of Ireland’s most beautiful locations.

The Copper Coast

Forming a circular route from Dungarvan to Waterford, Clonmel and Ballymacarberry, the Copper Coast gains its name from the underground copper mines that used to dominate the region. This 120km road trip takes in the stunning coastline, the Comeragh Mountains, the Nire Valley and Stradbally Cove, not to mention the renowned Tannery in Dungarvan which serves authentic Irish dishes to hungry passers-by.

The Beara Peninsula

From Killarney, close to the acclaimed Killarney National Park, a variety of enjoyable coastal drives can be enjoyed including the Beara Peninsula. In this area which is rich in myths and legends you can witness serene lakes, ancient Neolithic graves and stone circles, rugged mountains and traditional fishing ports. For waterside peace and beauty Ballydonegan Beach is an unmissable stop while mouth-watering seafood dishes await you in the many restaurants of the lively town of Castletownbere.

A tour of Irelands innumerable eye-catching landscapes is sure to be practical, relaxed and enjoyable on a self-drive holiday, where you can revel in your freedom to follow your own itinerary at your own pace, absorbing the magical scenery of this spectacular country.

When the winter has finally ended and the warmer, brighter days of spring returned, many of us like to give our homes and lives a bit of an overhaul, getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. Spring cleaning is part of this urge, and most of us diligently sort through our homes to eliminate dirt and clutter. However, have you ever thought about spring cleaning your car? Your hardworking car certainly deserves the same treatment as your home, so check out these easy tips for getting your car in tip-top shape for the warmer months.

1. Wash the cars exterior

The exterior of your car will likely be coated in salt, mud and other winter dirt its important to remove this not only to improve the cars appearance, but also to protect the paint and bodywork from corrosion. Use warm water mixed with some weak detergent or special car cleaner (don’t use too much you don’t want to risk leaving a residue on the car) and a soft sponge to soap the exterior, then rinse well with fresh water from a bucket or hose. Make sure you get into the crevices around doors and other openings, and don’t forget the undercarriage this is often the area hardest hit by dirt, and the most vulnerable to corrosion. Wash the wheel wells, the hubcaps and windows, too, then dry the entire vehicle with a soft chamois to help prevent streaking as it dries.

2. Start with a quick overhaul

The first thing to do is to perform a quick recce. Look around inside your car and see which items need to be kept in there and which don’t. Remember, keeping a load of bulky items in your car that you don’t really need will not only limit space and create a cluttered look, but will make your car less fuel efficient as well. So, lighten its load by eliminating anything you don’t need.

3. Scrub the dashboard and heater

Over the course of a long winter your dashboard can get pretty grubby. Take a washcloth, get some surface cleaner from the kitchen, and give it a scrub. You can also use an old toothbrush to get inside any little cracks and crevices to clean out any old bits of dust and grime, and use cotton swabs to get into those tricky gaps along the heater vents. When it comes to the ceiling, be careful to not scrub too forcefully if the ceiling is made out of fabric, as this can leave it looking fuzzy. Instead, use a damp washcloth with ultrafine fibres and use detergent sparingly. Read More

People who are looking to purchase a car will most of the time instantly think of buying a new one for varying reasons and they will forget idea of looking for a used car. Their reasons usually revolve around the fact that used cars come with a manufacturers warranty and will therefore be fixed if anything goes wrong with them.

In this article we will prove to you that buying a used car is sometimes a better option for the following very solid reasons:

* One of the most important factors when choosing a new or used car is the price. These days you can find cars that are only six months old with very low milleage and their selling price has been reduced up to 30 percent of what it was 6 months ago. How used can such a car be? This kind of car will still have at least two and a half years of warranty left (probably more depending on the manufacturer). It is true that it depends a lot on how it was previously used by its first owner, but lets face it, 6 months old used car can not be that bad, right?

And besides, you can always get a mechanic to check it over, if you are buying a car on finance they will often send a mechanic to check it over for free. The price of a new car is always a result from various antecedents, such as promoting the car on the market, exhibiting it in the showroom, profits for the dealer, commission for the sales person and so on. All these costs are reduced considerably when it comes to a used cars price.

* If you do not have the money to pay upfront, you may want to apply for a car loan and guess what? You can often qualify for lower interest rates on a loan for a nearly new car as opposed to a loan on a brand new one, this is because a new car immediately loses 30 percent or more of its value as soon as you buy it so the lender is taking more risk with a new car as opposed to a second hand one.

One other thing that you may not know about is that many lending financial institutions along with used car dealerships offer facilities for financing the purchase of used cars. As a result you will get a cheaper car with lower loan repayments.

* When buying a car, new or used, consider what you will use it for, compare brands and test drive several before you make a final decision.

The good thing about used car dealers is that they usually have several different brands and different types of car for you to look at, this is not possible with new car dealers who only present one or two brands of cars.

When you drive regularly or over long distances all sorts of roadside emergencies can occur, such as experiencing a flat tire or a breakdown that leaves you unable to drive the vehicle any further. This article will show you how to cope with these situations, regardless of the situation it is important that you remain calm and consider your safety.

Check down below for the things that you should do:

* The most important thing when dealing with a roadside emergency is to get off the road as fast as possible. Pull over in such a way that it doesn’t interfere with other traffic and road users. If you have a flat tyre, you may as well drive your vehicle very slowly until it is safe for you to pull over or if you know of any workshop is in the vicinity, go to that and make sure you put your hazard lights on and drive there cautiously.

* If your intention is to change the tyre on your own or try to fix the vehicle on your own, then pulling over and exiting the car with caution is advisable. If the road is a motorway or very busy, you may want to exit through the passenger side door and then address the problem that your vehicle confronts you with.

* When a roadside emergency happens at night, you should make your vehicle visible by leaving the headlights on and turning on the hazard lights, in some countries it is law to carry a triangle that can be displayed a few metres behind the vehicle too.

* If your roadside emergency can not be handled by you alone, call someone for help using the special phones situated on the side of the motorway these phones help the operator to pinpoint your location and you should use them even if you have a mobile with you. Read More

Car insurance provides you with the peace of mind and relaxed attitude you deserve on a holiday. However, it can be often quite hard to know what to look for when picking a car rental insurance. Luckily for you, we have a number of great tips….

Price

One of the main concerns is price and if you fail to choose the correct sort of cover you may end up paying a lot more than you bargained for. Most car rental companies will offer you higher prices that you would expect and this is why its often better to go with a third party retailer to get your insurance.

Check Coverage

Be sure to check what your insurance cover will meet. There are all sorts of policies and you should be sure to check up the details before you get cover. Be aware of rental companies, as they tend to fluff you up with all sorts of business speak. A third party insurance retailer often offers a far more straight talking and viable alternative than the rental company so consider using them instead.

Small Print

Reading the policies small print can make all the difference if there is an issue. People tend to have strange perceptions of the things that car insurance covers. The best way to get a straight and real understanding of what your cover includes is to read the policy in full. Assumptions tend to lead to issues and should be avoided. So, take some time to read it and you will get an understanding of whats really included. Read More

The BMW X5 is seen as an SUV with great performance and low running costs. Solidly built with all the safety features you’d expect from a BMW, the X5 comes in several different models. When buying new tyres, you need to be sure that you’re choosing the right ones for your specific X5.

Run-flat Tyres

One of the safety innovations that comes with the BMW X5 is a new kind of tyre technology. Run-flat tyres allow you to carry on driving even after you get a puncture. The specially reinforced sides protect your wheels from damage for a significant distance – giving you plenty of opportunity to get the punctured tyre repaired. Run-flat tyres mean an end to dangerous roadside tyre changes. They also obviate the need to carry a spare in the boot of your BMW, cutting down on weight and leaving you with more space for luggage.

While its possible to replace your run-flat tyres with standard tyres, its not really advisable. Run-flat tyres increase your cars safety, are more convenient and allow you to run your car more efficiently. Replacing just one or two out of four tyres with a non-flat-run tyre could also make your car much less safe to drive.

Tyre Load Rating

Any replacement tyre must have the same tyre load rating as the previous tyre. Like all cars made since 1973, your BMW X5 will have a tyre placard fitted that tells you the load rating you need to buy.

In some cases, a tyre offered as less expensive may prove to have a lower load rating than the one that you need. You need to check that the tyre you’re being sold has a sufficiently high rating. Purchasing a tyre that has the wrong load rating can be very dangerous. It makes your car less safe and may invalidate your insurance, leaving you uninsured in the event of an accident.

Tyre Matching

As well as ensuring that your tyres have the correct load rating, tyres need to be properly matched. If one or two of your tyres are significantly different to the others, this can compromise your vehicles safety. Matching tyres correctly is particularly important if your vehicle is one of the permanent four-wheel drive models. Read More